Photo taken by: Gabbie Lee / Assistant Photo Editor
S. L. FULLER
News Editor
Sept. 18 was Bill Nye Day. There was no denying the atmosphere of excitement all across campus.
Expectations of Nye’s convocation speech in the “Joy of Discovery” themed series were extremely high, yet not many doubted his ability to reach that expectation. His appearance in Steele Hall officially ended around 5:30 p.m., and he had been making himself available to students beginning three hours prior at his press conference.
Nye’s visit to Fredonia ended up being not only an event, but an experience.
Dawn Eckenrode, director of the Career Development Center and chair of the Convocation Committee, said that the event staff made an effort to ensure that students were involved as much as possible with Nye’s visit.
“What a great in-the-field learning opportunity for students,” said Eckenrode during a phone interview that day after Nye’s appearance. “We definitely tried to make sure [students] were included.”
Students from the campus media were invited to Nye’s press conference, which was held before his speech and were then invited to sit in the designated press seats in the front row during his speech. Students interning with the campus public relations office also helped facilitate the event and attended the press conference. Eckenrode mentioned how the convocation committee also wanted to give finance students one-on-one time with Nye.
“There were like six radio students [at the press conference] and it felt like we had this great opportunity to engage with [Nye],” said Jason Paton, senior audio/radio production and journalism double major, as well as program manager of Fredonia Radio Systems’ WCVF. “[The radio station] has a weekly variety show called “High Noon Friday” and we always try to bring in the big name guests [that speak on campus]. We reached out to the Fredonia PR committee [to try to have Nye on the show] and they said ‘no’ so instead, they invited us to the press conference.”
During the press conference, student and professional media alike got to sit in room 103B in the Williams Center, drink apple cider and ask Nye questions.
“My name is Bill Nye. It’s good to see you all. I imagine you have questions.” And with that introduction, the press conference began.
“[Nye] was calling us out, which was great,” continued Paton. He forced us to talk to him which was really cool. He had expectations for the student media.”
A variety of topics were discussed including everything from bowties to pressing scientific issues. And even though Nye had yet to see the inside of the new science center at that point, he was still impressed with the glimpses he caught walking by.
“I saw [the science center] from the outside,” said Nye during the press conference. “It’s cool! This is a very cool campus. The state university system in New York is special. I applaud any investment in education and the Fredonia campus is so happy and special. The architecture is cool. I’m looking forward to seeing the new Science Center.”
“How many bowties do you own?” someone asked.
“That’s a good question,” answered Nye. “About 300 I think. The thing is, they don’t wear out. You have to tie a tie a lot and they wear out. It’s like gym shorts or something. And people give them to me and they accumulate … I could quit if I wanted!”
When Nye was asked how he got his start in science, he said he didn’t remember.
“I’m serious,” said Nye. “[However] I do remember very well watching bees. Bumble bees are small but compared to their size, their wings are tiny. I just remember thinking ‘how do these female bees pull this off?’ It was a long time ago.”
The topic of bees was touched on again in Nye’s main speech. In fact, he touched upon many different things. Some people who attended his speech even say it was a little scattered. But the disorganization of the speech did not take away from the fact that everyone who packed themselves into the sold-out venue felt like they were in the presence of a rock star.
When Nye made his grand entrance, the whole audience stood and started chanting “Bill! Bill! Bill!” mimicking the “Bill Nye the Science Guy” theme song. A whole generation was getting a blast from the past, being brought back to the days of watching the show in elementary school.
Heather Pandich, junior business finance and economics double major, chose seeing Nye over going to class.
“I hope [Nye] talks about something exciting,” said Pandich before the speech. “But anything he says will be exciting.”
Exciting and energetic it was! Nye took the audience on both a personal and scientific journey. He talked about his parents and his father’s love for sundials. He talked about outer space and the Planetary Society, an organization of which he is the CEO. Nye even took a phone call from Neil deGrasse Tyson on stage.
“Change the world!,” Nye ordered his audience over and over again. He urged the crowd to be innovative and continue space exploration and to counteract climate change among other things.
There was even time designated at the end of the speech for a question and answer period. Audience members lined up at two microphones to get a special interaction with Nye.
Brittany Georgalas, senior media management and animation double major, was one of the lucky people who got to pick Nye’s brain. In fact, Georgalas was first in line at one of the microphones.
“I honestly don’t know [how I managed to be first in line],” said Georgalas. She had been really far back in the line to enter Steele Hall but somehow ended up sitting in the front right near the question and answer microphone. With encouragement from her friends, Georgalas just ran up to the microphone.
“I asked [Nye] what his favorite career achievement was,” continued Georgalas. “It seems like he’s done so much in his life so it was just something I was interested in learning.”
Georgalas was so excited to see Nye that she was the second person in line at the Ticket Office the very first day that tickets were released. “My friend had me out the door by 7:30 a.m.,” said Georgalas.
Nye, as the convocation keynote speaker, was the great success the convocation committee had aimed for all along. Eckenrode said it wasn’t difficult to get Nye to speak at Fredonia and all the funding came from the Maytum Lecture Endowment and the Williams Visiting Professorship Endowment through the Fredonia College Foundation.
“My favorite part [of the speech] was seeing all the students in the audience dressed up with bowties on,” said Eckenrode. “I thought the whole thing went great. It was awesome to see the students so pumped up and excited.”